Tractor link



- w. s. Mcm.

TRACTOR LINK. APPLICATIQN FILED NOV. 7. 1919.

PatentedJune 6? 1922.

WALTER S,

TRACTOR LINK.

naiseie.

Application iled November 7, 1919.

To all 107mm t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WALTER MOKEE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident ot Chicago, in the county of .Cook and State oi Illinois, have made and invented certain new and useful improvements in rl`ractor Linkaci which the following; is a specilication.

My invention relates to tractor'links. Ain obiect ot the present invention is to provide a link, or links, which are of simple design, strong` and durable in construction, economic in upkeep and will cause and will be subjected to, a minimum amount ot wear and friction in operation.

A, 'further object is to provide a tractor link wherein the friction and wear from-the link,` incident to the normal voperation of the tractor, will be reduced to a minimum and those parts which are exposed to wear, will become worn in a uniform manner and so perform etlicient and useful services during` the period ot wear. and turther to so arrange and construct the link that the wearing'y parts -may loe. easily and readily removed and new parts.substituted in their places. y iurther object is to provide a 'tractor link and tractor sprocket wherein the mud and dirt whichy ordinarily accumulate between the teeth ot the sprocket are continu ously and automatically removed by the action ot the tractor links.

lVith the above and other objects in view, my invention cous-ists in the improved tractor link hereinafter described and claimed ano' illustrated in the accompanying drawings, accompanying' and forming` a part of this application: andin such modifications thereot as will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is shown inthe accompanying` drawings., wherein;

Figure 1 is a view ot a portion of a tractor sprocket and accompanyinp portions'l of tractor links embodying` the characteristic 'features of in v invention; n

Figure 2 is a view in vertical' section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

lfigure 8 is a view in top plan of one of the tractor links;

Figure l is a view in rear elevation of the tractor link illustrated in Figure` 3;

Figure 5 is a view in front elevation and partially in section of the tractor link hav- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 6. 1922.

Serial No. 336,826.

ing a modified form oit bearing pin and cooperating rollers, and;

Fig/ure 6 is an end view oli' the modified `torni of bearing pin and" accompanying roller.

Referring to the several views, wherein similar reference numerals Vindicate corre- .f-fponding` parts throughout, the tractor sprocket is composed of the spokes 1(7) which are torred at their lower extremities and supliort the spaced rims 11. The rims 11 are provided'with spaced teeth 153 which are adapted to portions ot the tractor link and forcibly drive the same as hereinafter described. The 'lorking ot the lower extremity ot the sprocket spokes and the spacing` ot the rims 11 cause an opening 13 to be formi-bd which extends,continuously around the sprocket and allows such mud and dirt as would. ordinarily accumulate between the teeth to be continuously and automatically discharged therethrough, this action taking' place due tov portions of each tractor link enteringy between the rims of the vsprocket as the said links pass therearound.

Each tractor link is coin-posed oi a tread portion 1l, the front ot, which is provided vith a downwardly projecting' transverse rib 15 whereby the Apurchase upon the ground is increased and slippage materially reduced. lrojecting upwardly and preferably formed integral with the link tread is the 't'ront and main bearing' member 16, the same lying directly above the transverse rib 15 ot the tread. A plate 17 connects with the iront bearing member 16. projects rearwardly above the link tread and joins the spaced rear bearinggineinbers 18, the spacing; ol the latter 'being suoli as to receive therebetween the trout bearing member of the adjoiifiing` link. Diverginn webs 19 connect with the 'front and rear bearing members 16 and 1S and with the tread 14 and plate 17, thus 'forminon a strong' and rigid box like structure.

The trout and rearv bearing,- members are provided with pin receiving openings 20 so positioned that when the links are assembled with the front bearing member projecting between the rear bearing members of ,the adjoining link, the said openings will bein substantial alignment, providing for the reception of a bearing pin 21 which acts to tie thel several links together and allows for the articulation thereof.

The bearing' 2l, which cliects a bearingr lit with the aligned front and rear beara minmium, and thus provide for the maxi-v mum life of the bearing,` pins and rollers. Further the rollers lbeing Jreely mounted upon the bearing pins 2l become worn in a uniform manner so as to render e'fiicient service and may easily and quickly be removed and replaced by tiret removing` the keys 2411 and washers vlin those instances where the weight upon the several links would-be sul'licient to cause the rear bearing members 1S to cut and seriously wear the bearing pins, I provide the rear bearing members with openings olf slightly reduced diameterso 'that the bearing` pin 2l effects a force lit with the rear bearmenibers, there-by preventing the relative rotation` of the bearing;- pin and the rear bearingl members. l have :tounch however, that in the majority of instances the rear l'iearing members may be made of sutiicient width so as to prevent excessive wear upon the bearing` pins so that the latter may also be free to rotate in the rear bear-hu;l meinbers. v

ln order to provide for the relative movement or articulation of the several links the rear portion of the tread ol each link is provided with a notch or opening 30 which is adapted to receive therein the front portion o'l the diverging web 19, thus allowing for the free movement ot the links without interference. ln order to provide tor the uni- 'form 'wear of the bearing pin, the modiified construction illustrated in Figure 5 has been provided7 wherein the vbearing` pin 25 is provided with the reduced and non-circular ends E2G, and the rollers 2"@ are provided with corresponding openings so that they lit over the reduced ends of the bearing pin and effect a non-rotatable juncture therewith.

The bearing pin effects a bearing lit with the 'front and rear bearing members of the links whereby as the tractor link passes around the sprocket the rollers 27 coming in contact wth ther sprocket teeth are rotated..y providing for the uniform, but reduced wear of the rollers and in turn caus- Uing the rotation of the pin 25, thereby pronewed when necessary. The spacing of the rims oit the sprocket andthe mounting or the rollers upon the extremities of the pin provide a double drive upon each link which tends to distribute the strains and stresses over the entire link.

Having thus described my :inventioin` what l claim is:

l. ln a mechanism o'l the class described the combination of adjoining tractor links7 said links provided with a front bearing` member and spaced rear bearing members having aligned openings, a bearing` pin pro jecting through and beyond the sides of aligned front and rear bearing members of adioiningv links, detachable rollers mounted upon the protruding` ends of said pin, means for holding' said rollers in position upon said pin, and means for causing the rotation ol? said rollers to impart a similar movement 'to said pint.

2. ln a mechanism of the class described the combination oi adjoining` links7 said links provided with bearing members have inn' aligned openings and a bearing pin projecting through and beyond the sides of said bearing` members, the projecting ends of said pinof non-circular cross-section, rollers hav- 'i my non-circular openings therein mounted upon the non-circular@ends voit said bearing pin and means for holding)l the said rollers .in position thereon.

:Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State voi? illinois, this first day oi November, ri. D. 1919.

WALTER s. MCKEE.

lVitnesses N. C. BAsoN, EARL A. LERNER. 

